qatar museums gabrielle goliath venice biennale pavilion

Gabrielle Goliath's planned South African pavilion at the Venice Biennale was abruptly canceled by South African culture minister Gayton McKenzie. McKenzie claimed the cancellation was not due to the pavilion's focus on Israel's war in Gaza, but because a foreign nation attempted to purchase the work after the show. The Daily Maverick reported that the foreign entity was actually Qatar Museums, which had expressed interest in acquiring a video recording of Goliath's performance piece 'Elegy,' which addressed violence against women and queer people in South Africa and a genocide in Namibia. McKenzie's statement contradicted earlier reports that he had privately called the pavilion 'polarizing.'

south africa pavilion venice biennale cancelation qatar

South Africa has canceled its pavilion at the Venice Biennale, which was to feature a performance by artist Gabrielle Goliath addressing the killings of women and queer people in South Africa, a German-led genocide in Namibia, and Israel’s war in Gaza. The performance would have included readings of poetry by Palestinian poet Hiba Abu Nada, who was killed in an Israeli airstrike in 2023. South African Culture Minister Gayton McKenzie blamed an unidentified foreign nation for seeking to use the pavilion for "proxy power," and Israeli publication Ynetnews reported that nation is Qatar. McKenzie denied censorship, claiming a rift with the nonprofit Art Periodic South Africa over a foreign nation's offer to purchase artworks after the Biennale.

Edinburgh’s Yaniv Edery Gallery unveiled

International artist Yaniv Edery has launched his first UK gallery in a Georgian townhouse on Picardy Place in Edinburgh. The venue showcases Edery’s signature style, which utilizes a unique technique of layering resin over injected acrylic and ink on brushed aluminum to create vibrant, pop-art-inspired works. The space is designed to function as both a contemporary art gallery and a luxury events venue, featuring a dedicated function room, bars, and boutique suites.

photojournalist wins world press photo award for image of gazan boy mutilatated by israeli airstrike

Palestinian photojournalist Samar Abu Elouf has won the 2025 World Press Photo award for her image of Mahmoud Ajjour, a 9-year-old Gazan boy whose arms were mutilated by an Israeli airstrike. The photo, taken for the New York Times, was honored at a ceremony in Amsterdam. Abu Elouf, herself from Gaza and now living in Qatar, captured the boy in a shaft of sunlight that gives the image the quality of a classical bust. The award, now in its 70th year, drew nearly 60,000 entries from 4,000 photographers across 141 countries.

New and relaunched satellite fairs spread across Los Angeles during Frieze

A wave of new and relaunched satellite art fairs is debuting in Los Angeles to coincide with Frieze Los Angeles, offering lower-cost alternatives for galleries and artists. Newcomers like the Indianapolis-based Butter Art Fair, the photography-focused Show LA, and the New York-centric Enzo Art Fair are positioning themselves as intimate, artist-centric, or zero-fee options. These ventures aim to capitalize on the influx of global collectors while bypassing the high overhead costs associated with major international fairs.

9 Up-And-Coming Gallerists Chart the Path To—and Beyond—Showing at Art Basel Miami Beach

Nine emerging galleries from around the world are showing in the Positions sector of Art Basel Miami Beach 2025, a dedicated platform for up-and-coming exhibitors. The article profiles several of these gallerists, including Allann Seabra and Ian Duarte of Verve in São Paulo, and Mauricio Aguirre of N.A.S.A.L. in Mexico City and Guayaquil. They discuss their gallery's growth, key milestones such as artists participating in the 36th Bienal de São Paulo, and their hopes for gaining international exposure and deepening understanding of their local art scenes.

israeli airstrike doha qatar risk of planning art basel fair

On Tuesday, Israel carried out a missile strike in Doha, Qatar, targeting senior Hamas leaders, with explosions reported in the Leqtaifiya neighborhood and smoke visible over the Katara cultural district. The strike comes as a shock to Qatar, which has built a reputation for stability and is home to major art institutions operated by Qatar Museums, including Mathaf: Arab Museum of Modern Art, the National Museum of Qatar, and the Museum of Islamic Art. Art Basel, which announced in May a partnership with Qatar Sports Investments and QC+ to launch Art Basel Doha in February 2026, said it is closely monitoring developments and remains committed to the fair's inaugural edition.

Inside Museo Jumex’s Soccer-Inspired Art Shows

Museo Jumex in Mexico City is staging two soccer-inspired exhibitions. "Football & Art: A Shared Emotion" runs through July 26, featuring works across painting, sculpture, installation, photography, and video that explore football's cultural impact in Mexico and beyond. Highlights include Sofía Echeverri's textile commission about Mexico's 1971 Women's World Cup qualifiers and Tercerunquinto's sculptural installation using salvaged seats from Azteca Stadium. "Objects of Glory" opens June 10 in partnership with Qatar Museums and the 3-2-1 Qatar Olympic and Sports Museum, showcasing historic memorabilia such as Diego Maradona's match-worn jersey from the 1986 World Cup quarter-final and Pelé's boots from the 1970 World Cup.

Lina Ghotmeh: ‘Museums should go beyond conservation to foster exchange, reflection and critical thinking’

In February 2025, Beirut-born, Paris-based architect Lina Ghotmeh won the competition to oversee the remodelling of the Western Range of the British Museum, a series of galleries comprising one-third of the historic London institution. Her project team includes conservation specialists Purcell and engineers Arup. Ghotmeh, known for her human-centred, sustainable approach and her 'archaeology of the future' methodology, has previously designed the Stone Garden tower in Beirut and the 2023 Serpentine Pavilion in London. She also holds commissions for a contemporary art museum in AlUla, Saudi Arabia, a Venice Biennale pavilion for Qatar, and the Bahrain Pavilion for Expo 2025 Osaka.

Frieze to launch Abu Dhabi edition in November 2026

Frieze has announced it will launch an Abu Dhabi edition in November 2026, marking its first fair in the Middle East and its eighth global event. The fair will take over the existing Abu Dhabi Art fair through a partnership with the Abu Dhabi Department of Culture and Tourism (DCT), and will be held at Manarat Al Saadiyat in the Saadiyat Cultural District. Dyala Nusseibeh will remain as director. The announcement comes as Frieze's rival Art Basel prepares to launch its own Middle East fair in Doha, Qatar, in February 2025, and follows the recent acquisition of Frieze by Hollywood tycoon Ari Emanuel via his holding company Mari, which has financial ties to Abu Dhabi-based investors.

The legacy of the Baghdad Modern Art Group is explored in first major US show

The Hessel Museum of Art at Bard College in New York State has opened "All Manner of Experiments: Legacies of the Baghdad Modern Art Group," the first major US survey of the influential Iraqi collective. Organized by curators Nada Shabout, Tiffany Floyd, and Lauren Cornell, the exhibition brings together 64 works by 30 artists—including Dia al-Azzawi, Jewad Selim, and Mohammed Ghani Hikmat—spanning from 1951 to 2023. Many pieces have not been publicly displayed in decades, and the show draws from private collections and major Arab institutions such as the Barjeel Art Foundation, the Dalloul Art Foundation, the Ibrahimi Collection, and Qatar Museums. The exhibition also addresses the devastating loss of modern Iraqi art during the Iraq War, with an estimated 85% of 8,000 works from the Saddam Arts Centre looted or damaged.

Hong Kong’s first major Islamic art exhibition set to open at Palace Museum

Hong Kong’s Palace Museum will open its first major Islamic art exhibition on Wednesday, featuring 90 works from the Museum of Islamic Art in Doha, including carpets, ceramics, and manuscripts dating from the 10th to the 19th centuries. The show, titled “Wonders of Imperial Carpets: Masterpieces from the Museum of Islamic Art, Doha,” marks the Qatari institution’s debut in the city and includes treasures such as the 17th-century “Kevorkian Hyderabad carpet.”

A Gerhard Richter pavilion and a new creative visa—Qatar’s Sheikha al-Mayassa reveals future plans

Sheikha al-Mayassa, chair of Qatar Museums and a leading collector, revealed significant cultural initiatives during a talk at the inaugural Art Basel Qatar fair. She announced a new "creative visa" to attract artists, with Egyptian artist Wael Shawky as the first recipient, and confirmed a Gerhard Richter pavilion will open in November as part of the Rubaiya Qatar quadrennial. She also highlighted upcoming institutions like the Art Mill museum and the Lusail Museum.

Artists and Gulf royalty top ArtReview Power 100 list

ArtReview has released its 2025 Power 100 list, ranking the most influential figures in the art world over the past year. Artists dominate the top ten, with Ghanaian artist Ibrahim Mahama taking the first place for using his art profits to build institutions and community spaces in Tamale. Other top artists include Wael Shawky, Ho Tzu Nyen, Amy Sherald, Kerry James Marshall, Forensic Architecture, and Wolfgang Tillmans. Gulf royalty also feature prominently: Sheikha Al-Mayassa bint Hamad bin Khalifa Al-Thani of Qatar ranks second, and Sheikha Hoor Al Qasimi of Sharjah ranks third, reflecting the region's growing art-world influence. The list also includes academic Saidiya Hartman as a "thinker" in eighth place.

art meriem bennani hugo boss award

Meriem Bennani, a Moroccan-born, New York–based multimedia artist, has been awarded the inaugural Boss Award for Outstanding Achievement at Art Basel Miami Beach. The award, presented by Hugo Boss and its Creative Director Marco Falcioni, includes a $50,000 grant. Bennani is known for her fantasy-driven installations and films, such as the 'Life on the CAPS' series and the public sculpture 'Windy' on the High Line. In an interview, she discusses her plans to donate the grant to Bilna’es, an organization founded by Palestinian artists that funds cultural projects in Gaza and the West Bank.

At the 2026 Venice Biennale, pavilions shut down for pro-Palestine strike. The map of protests

Alla Biennale di Venezia 2026 serrata dei padiglioni per sciopero pro Palestina. La mappa delle proteste

On May 8, 2026, the third VIP preview day of the 61st Venice Biennale, a massive strike shut down numerous national pavilions and disrupted the exhibition. Led by the Art Not Genocide Alliance (Anga), the protest demands Israel's exclusion from the Biennale over allegations of genocide in Palestine, and also targets poor labor conditions in the cultural sector. Pavilions closed one after another due to staff shortages, and protest posters appeared around artworks at the Giardini and Arsenale. The strike involved the Biennale Foundation itself, along with about twenty contractors managing services and national pavilions, with unions Adl Cobas, USB Lavoro privato, and Cub supporting the action. Tensions rose when the UK Pavilion reportedly replaced striking staff to remain open, and the Foundation issued a statement falsely denying that its employees were covered by the strike.

Qatar's Pavilion at the Venice Biennale Is Not Yet Built. But It Takes Shape Under a Tent in the Giardini with a Rich Cultural Program

Il Padiglione del Qatar alla Biennale di Venezia ancora non c’è. Ma prende forma sotto una tenda ai Giardini con un ricco programma culturale

Qatar's national pavilion at the Venice Biennale, designed by architect Lina Ghotmeh, is still under construction in the Giardini. For the 2026 Venice Art Biennale, Qatar Museums and Rubaiya Qatar have commissioned artist Rirkrit Tiravanija to present "Untitled 2026 (a gathering of remarkable people)" under a tent structure on the site. The project, curated by Tom Eccles and Ruba Katrib, will feature a film by Sophia Al-Maria, live performances by Tarek Atoui, a culinary program by chef Fadi Kattan, and a large-scale sculpture by Alia Farid, bringing together artists, musicians, and chefs from the Arab world.

At the Venice Biennale, protests, self-mutilation and rage against Israel and Russia. Is anyone left to talk about the art?

At the 61st Venice Biennale, protests and controversies have overshadowed the art itself. The Art Not Genocide Alliance (ANGA) demonstrated against the inclusion of Israel and Russia, while the Israeli Pavilion became a flashpoint. Artist Belu-Simion Fainaru, presenting his installation "Rose of Nothingness" in a temporary space, complained that he was forced to defend his art's right to exist amid questions about politics rather than his work. The Biennale also saw barricades, strikes, the resignation of the Golden Lion jury, Iran's last-minute withdrawal, and anger directed at the American pavilion over Trump administration policies. The central exhibition, "In Minor Keys," curated by the late Koyo Kouoh, was eclipsed by these events.

Asia's Biennials Survey: The Asia Pivot

asias biennials survey asia pivot

Asia is experiencing a significant surge in biennial exhibitions, with at least eight major events currently running from Singapore to Riyadh and several more scheduled for later this year. These large-scale exhibitions are increasingly serving as strategic tools for soft power, urban regeneration, and economic promotion, often backed by government funding to elevate a city's global profile.

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Saudi Arabia is scaling back some of its ambitious 'gigaprojects' under the Vision 2030 plan due to falling oil prices and budget constraints, raising questions about the future of its major cultural investments. This shift occurs as the art world's attention turns to the Gulf region for the inaugural Art Basel Qatar, highlighting the tension between grand cultural ambitions and economic realities in a key emerging art market.

art basel discounts new galleries 2025

Art Basel has introduced booth-fee discounts for first- and second-time exhibitors at its fairs, offering 20% off for first-year participants and 10% for second-year participants. The policy, confirmed by chief artistic officer Vincenzo de Bellis, has been in place since Art Basel Miami Beach in 2021 and applies to all Art Basel fairs in Switzerland, Hong Kong, and Miami Beach, with a new edition launching in Qatar. Starting in 2026, discounts will increase to 25% and 15% respectively.

frieze acquisition finalized mari ari emanuel

Ariel Emanuel, through his newly formed company Mari, has finalized the acquisition of Frieze, which includes its magazine, seven art fairs worldwide, and two exhibition spaces. The deal also encompasses tennis events like the Miami Open and Madrid Open, along with a majority stake in the collector car auction house Barrett-Jackson. The acquisition was first announced in May and reportedly valued at $200 million, with financial backing from investors including Apollo, RedBird Capital Partners, and the Qatar Investment Authority. Mari will be led by Emanuel and Mark Shapiro, with Simon Fox remaining as CEO of Frieze.

lisbeth sachs switzerland pavilion venice architecture biennale

The Swiss Pavilion at the 2025 Venice Architecture Biennale pays tribute to Lisbeth Sachs (1914–2002), one of Switzerland's first licensed women architects, by recreating her 1958 kunsthalle design inside the pavilion originally built by Bruno Giacometti. The exhibition, titled "Endgültige Form wird von der Architektin am Bau bestimmt," is curated by an all-woman team—Elena Chiavi, Kathrin Füglister, Amy Perkins, Axelle Stiefel, and Myriam Uzor—and resurrects a structure Sachs built for the 1958 Swiss Exhibition for Women's Work (SAFFA) in Zürich, of which almost no trace remains today.

fashion hermes boutique artist lisha bai

Korean-American painter and sculptor Lisha Bai unveiled a new window installation at Hermès Maison Madison in New York, created to coincide with New York Fashion Week. The installation features polychrome fabrics molded into geometric forms, drawing inspiration from the Korean patchwork tradition of bojagi and the quilts of Gee’s Bend, reflecting Bai’s experience growing up as a Korean-American in Alabama. A conversation between Bai and Cooper Hewitt curator Alexandra Cunningham Cameron explored how Bai translates textile techniques and light into immersive art. The event was attended by Hermès Americas President and CEO Diane Mahady and VP Diane Kruger, among other guests.

art shakers movement ica philadelphia religion

The article reviews "A World in the Making: The Shakers," an exhibition at the Institute of Contemporary Art, Philadelphia, running through August 9, 2026. It pairs Shaker material culture with works by seven contemporary artists, including Kameelah Janan Rasheed, who responds to the archive of Rebecca Cox Jackson, a Black Shaker leader. The exhibition explores how Shaker communal practices, craft traditions, and devotional art resonate in today's digital age, where handmade aesthetics often become lifestyle signals rather than shared experiences.

art udo kittelmann julia stoschek los angeles

German curator Udo Kittelmann and leading time-based art collector Julia Stoschek have collaborated on "What a Wonderful World," an audiovisual poem on view at Los Angeles's Variety Arts Theater from February 6 through March 20. The project interweaves early film entries by Alice Guy-Blaché, Georges Méliès, and Walt Disney with contemporary video works from Stoschek's collection, featuring artists such as Lu Yang, Bunny Rogers, and Paul Chan. Kittelmann and Stoschek insist the work is not an exhibition but a "poem," designed to challenge how audiences consume art and moving images, urging viewers to move beyond entertainment toward a raw, emotional experience.

What Did the Golden Lion Die Of? On Judgment and Disavowal at the Venice Biennale

The international jury of the 61st Venice Biennale announced it would exclude from prize consideration countries whose leaders are charged with crimes against humanity by the International Criminal Court, specifically targeting Russia and Israel. This prompted the Italian culture minister to send inspectors to the Biennale's offices, leading the jury to resign. The Biennale then replaced the Golden Lion with "Visitors' Lions" prizes voted by ticket-holders, immediately making Russia and Israel eligible again. The article traces this crisis to the Biennale's historical structure under Mussolini's 1930 Royal Decree, which established the national pavilion system as a diplomatic concession system designed to serve state power, and notes the recent acceptance of a €50 million donation from Qatar for a new permanent pavilion in the Giardini.

Qatar makes Venice Biennale debut with pavilion built on collaboration, food and live art

Qatar has made its debut at the Venice Biennale with an official national pavilion, marking a major cultural milestone as the first new national pavilion in the Giardini in 30 years. Led by artist Rirkrit Tiravanija, the project titled "Untitled 2026: A gathering of remarkable people" transforms the space into a living environment featuring live music, film screenings, shared meals, and ongoing performances. The pavilion brings together artists, musicians, and chefs from across the Arab world and its diasporas, emphasizing cultural exchange rather than a single national narrative.

Afghanistan’s heritage comes to the fore in acclaimed Doha show

A new exhibition at the Museum of Islamic Art (MIA) in Doha, titled *Empire of Light: Visions and Voices from Afghanistan*, highlights Afghanistan’s art and history from pre-Islamic times to the present day. Running until 30 May and timed to Art Basel Qatar week, the show draws primarily from MIA’s collection, with loans from Qatari institutions and international lenders such as the National Museum of Asian Art at the Smithsonian. It includes historical objects like a 13th-century ewer and a 9th-century Qur’an folio, as well as contemporary works such as Khadim Ali’s *Un-Safe Heaven* (2025), a textile piece embroidered by Afghan men and women. No objects come from Afghan museums, but large-scale wooden models and glass vessels were produced in Afghanistan with help from the Aga Khan Trust for Culture.

Six key works by M.F. Husain to see at Lawh Wa Qalam

Amita Shenoy, former curator of the M.F. Husain Museum in Bangalore, has selected six key works by the renowned Indian artist M.F. Husain that are now part of the collection at Lawh Wa Qalam in Doha. The selection includes pieces like 'The Raman Effect series' (1987), 'Arab Astronomy' (2008), and 'Quit India Movement' (1985), which illustrate major themes in Husain's life and artistic practice.